ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / April 21, 2000

LAPLACE – Second-grade teacher Anita Rodriguez is using high-tech methods to get her students interested in the low-tech skills of writing.

Because of her novel approach using computers to get kids interested in writing, Rodriguez is one of six teachers to receive national recognition for her project on using PowerPoint software to get her students to write.

At next week’s convention of the National Educational Research Association, Rodriguez will be honored for her research at a breakfast meeting.

Rodriguez got interested in using computers after taking part in the St. JohnParish School Board INTECH training. Teachers were trained in using thelatest software and computers and how to apply them to their classrooms.

Rodriguez had noticed that most second-graders were very reluctant to write. Even when she assigned them writing projects like keeping a journalthat didn’t seem to interest the children.

After taking her INTECH training, Rodriguez decided to use PowerPoint software to entice her students into writing.

“I believe utilizing computer technology in the writing process is less threatening to students who are reluctant to write because they have a chance to produce work that is correct and interesting, ” wrote Rodriguez in her paper to the NERA.

The important thing is she got the whole class to evaluate and assess each others’ presentation before it was completed. Each step in the process wasscrutinized and criticized by fellow students.

This was important to Rodriguez.

“I believe the assessment tool I use for meeting the writing and technology standards are effective in that it allows the student to build a responsibility for his/her own writing skills, while producing a product that is both motivating and useful,” she said.

Eight-year-old Steffano Escalante was given the assignment of writing a report on a Mardi Gras parade he had attended. He had to do it on thecomputer using words, pictures and music. Steffano was instructed on thePowerPoint software, on the use of a digital camera and how to edit on the computer.

During every step of his creation Steffano was given suggestions and critiques by his fellow classmates on how to improve the presentation.

“The writer must be able to use his/her own creative abilities to tell the story, not only in words, but in graphics that illustrate the story correctly,” said Rodriguez.

Getting assessed by other students helped Steffano focus on the weak areas in his presentation and improve on the successful parts of his story.

When Steffano was finished he had produced a pretty sophisticated presentation that incorporated the written word, pictures and music. Titlestwisted and turned, pictures popped on and off on the computer monitor and Mardi Gras music added a atmosphere to the story of Steffano’s very first Mardi Gras parade.

“I liked putting in the transitions,” said Steffano,” and making all those things move.”It took the student two days to put the whole package together, and Rodriguez said now the rest of the class wants to do it.

Rodriguez reports that the parents are excited, too.

“The children love to take a hard copy of their story home for their parents to read,” she said, “and parents are equally impressed to come into class to view a presentation that their child has written and produced.”Rodriguez plans to put Steffano’s story on the class’s web page so the whole internet can experience his Mardi Gras story.

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